Ten things you never knew about... languages

Today is the European Day of Languages, promoting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the continent.

European Day of Languages, promoting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the continent (Image: GETTY)

1. About 225 native languages are spoken by communities in Europe.

2. The most commonly spoken first language in Europe is Russian, followed by German. English is the most common language for people to learn. 3. According to an EU survey, 44 per cent of people in EU countries cannot speak any language other than their own.

4. A recent Languages Of The World publication lists 7,097 languages spoken on Earth.

5. The most recent language to become extinct is Nuchatlaht of which the last speaker, Alban Michael, died in British Columbia in March 2016.